Getting There First
by bump-in-the-night1990
Summary: When Damon reads one of Stefan's journals and discovers there's a doppelganger of Katherine in Mystic Falls, he decides he should get there first. What happens when Damon meets Elena before she meets Stefan? Will things turn out the same way?  on hiatus
1. Introduction

**A/N – ****So this is just the short intro. Basically the idea is that this is right before the start of the show—Stefan is planning on meeting Elena, but Damon gets there first. Please let me know what you guys think and if I should continue!**

Damon walks into The Grill and scans the room. His enhanced vision rapidly adjusts to the dim lighting.He quickly spots her, sitting at a table with a group of friends. She's beautiful—her face lighting up with laughter at something one of her friends says. The resemblance to Katherine is uncanny. Everything about this girl, _Elena_, looks the same. But just from these few seconds of watching her, Damon can already tell she is nothing like the disastrously gorgeous Katherine. No, Elena's innocence easily shines through, uncorrupted and pure.

Stefan was right. How did he find out about her? For weeks, Damon had kept his eye on his younger brother, and for weeks Stefan had been extremely distracted with something—always scribbling in his diary or disappearing for long periods of time. Last week, Damon took it upon himself to glance through Stefan's journal, and he couldn't believe the writing within:

_...I saw her again today—as she left school, I saw her, watched her. She looks exactly like Katherine, the same beautiful dark hair, and the same smile. But I think she's different. She must be different. I don't think I can hold myself back much longer. I have to meet her. I have to know her. I do not think I can wait anymore. Next week, next week..._

The simple mention of Katherine invoked unbelievable feelings and urges within Damon. Katherine, the only woman who got the best of Damon, who destroyed him over a century ago. The thought of Katherine's doppelganger in Mystic Falls was too much for Damon to resist. His selfish nature urged him to hunt down this _Elena _before Stefan could get could do the same. Thankfully, she was very easy to find.

Damon continues to watch Elena from the edge of the room. He's thrown off by his reaction—for the first time in a long time, he doesn't know what to do with himself. Should he go up to her? Should he leave? His eyes glance towards the bar. Maybe he should get a drink; that's always a good option. Just as he starts to move, Elena's eyes roam towards where he is standing and land right on him. He feels the pressure of her gaze. With pleasure, he recognizes the look in her eyes—desire and curiosity. Her eyes stay locked onto his own until a friend of hers taps her shoulder and pulls her back into conversation. But Elena is distracted now, still looking at Damon out of the corners of her eyes. He has a strong desire to go up to her, take her away with him, compel her if he has too. But he resists, knowing this has to be done carefully.

After a final glance towards Elena, Damon leaves the bar. He needs time to think, to settle his strangely strong emotions. But most importantly, he needs to make sure he gets to Elena before Stefan does.

**A/N – ****So what do u guys think? Should I continue? Please R&R!**


	2. A Plan

**A/N –**** Thanks for the great responses to the intro. Here's chapter two. Hope you guys enjoy! **

Damon drives back to the old Salvatore mansion. When Stefan mysteriously decided to move back to Mystic Falls a few weeks ago, Damon had decided it was best to follow his younger brother. Thankfully, his instincts proved right and led him right to Elena. The image of her smiling face is stuck within Damon's mind. He can't stop thinking about her. The sudden and unknown desire is both enticing and frightening. Is it possible these strange feelings are emerging just because she looks like Katherine? He drums his fingers against the steering wheel as he speeds down Mystic Falls' old roads. It feels strange to be back in his hometown, even stranger to be back in it with his brother and a Katherine look-a-like.

As Damon pulls into the driveway, he spots Stefan's car. Damon smirks to himself. If he wants to get to Elena first, he needs to make sure Stefan has a distraction for the next few days or so. The house is quiet, and Damon finds Stefan in his study, once again hunched over one of his diaries. A glass of blood is in Stefan's hand, and Damon grimaces at the smell—rabbit. "What has you so entranced?" Damon asks as he walks towards his brother. He starts to lean over Stefan's shoulder, but Stefan instantly slaps the diary closed.

Stefan turns around so that he's facing his brother. His tone is surprisingly aggressive. "Nothing," he snaps.

Damon backs up a little bit and holds up both of his hands. "Sorry," he says. He narrows his eyes. "Must be a very touchy subject."

Stefan leans back in his chair and folds his arms. "What are you even doing back here, Damon? There's nothing for you in Mystic Falls."

Damon smirks. He's tempted to reveal just how much _is_ here for him in Mystic Falls, but that would just ruin everything. "Is there something wrong with wanting to spend time with my little brother?"

"I think we've spent more than enough time together."

Damon walks around the study. "Maybe I just wanted to reconnect with my roots, my hometown. _Some _things haven't changed very much around here. _Some _things look very _familiar_." Damon knows he's toeing the line here, but it's just too tempting to frustrate Stefan. He turns around and walks once again towards his brother. "By they way, there was a phone call for you earlier today."

"Who was it?" Stefan asks, already suspicious of foul intentions from Damon.

"She sounded very upset."

"Who?"

"She was _begging _me to get you the message."

Stefan quickly rises out of his chair and steps right in front of Damon, their bodies less than an inch apart. "Enough with the games, Damon. You're over 150 years old, not a six-year-old child. Who called?"

Damon smiles. "I think she might even be dying."

In an instant, Stefan pushes Damon up against the wall of the study. His arm is pressed up against Damon's neck, cutting off almost all circulation. The pencil he was writing with is aimed right at Damon's heart. His eyes are dark and serious. "Who called Damon?"

The smile widens. "Well played," Damon says. "It was Lexi."

Stefan's face pales. His grip on his brother relaxes slightly, but he keeps the pencil ready to strike. "What's wrong with her?"

"Hate to be the one to break the new to you. It's just so _tragic_." He pauses. "Werewolf bite."

Stefan backs away, grief filling his face. "What?"

Damon crosses his arms and leans against the shelves of books. "Got bitten a few days ago at the full moon. She's in New York still. Apparently the venom works pretty fast. No cure. She'll be dead by the end of the week."

A look of hate crosses Stefan's face. "This isn't information you play with, Damon. This is serious. I don't understand you, and I never will." A second after Stefan says this, he zooms out of the Salvatore house and is on his way out of Mystic Falls.

Damon smiles wickedly. His brother is just so gullible. And now Damon has at least a couple of days alone with Elena Gilbert. In Stefan's rush to leave, he forgot to take or hide his journals. Damon sits down at the desk and starts to flip through the pages, trying to find any additional information that might be helpful. One passage catches her eyes:

_ ...our meeting can't be suspicious. She has to trust me first. I almost have it worked out perfectly now. I'll pretend to be a high school student, go to classes and everything...once she trusts me, maybe I can reveal who I really am..._

Damon laughs to himself. A high school student? That idea is so Stefan Salvatore. There's absolutely no way that Damon is going to regress to that level. But Stefan is right; Elena needs to trust him first. Maybe—maybe he can pretend to be a college student. That's a lot less demeaning at least. That way, he can meet Elena in the library or something. But how can he get Elena to the library? He leans back in the chair and props his feet on Stefan's desk. A solid plan eventually forms, and he smiles. In a few days, Elena Gilbert will be all his.

Damon smiles at his good fortune. It's dark, almost eight at night, and he is standing in the Mystic Falls' high school parking lot. The place is deserted except for one, lone teacher leaving the building. Damon casually walks towards him, and the man steps back in surprise. He looks strong and confident, but Damon knows there is something inherently threatening about a vampire, and even a powerful man instinctively stays back.

"Hello," Damon says, smiling. He holds out his hand. "Damon Salvatore."

The man stares at him strangely, but after a moment, he shakes Damon's hand. "Alaric Saltzman," he says. "You look too old to be a student."

Damon smirks. "_Definitely _way too old to be a student." He leans towards Alaric. "If you don't mind, I need to ask you for a favor. You're a teacher here, right?"

Alaric nods suspiciously. "What do you need?"

Damon's eyes widen as he starts to compel Alaric. The man's eyes go blank, and Damon feels his mind as putty in his own hands. "Is Elena Gilbert one of your students?"

"Yes." Alaric's responses are automatic.

"What class do you teach?"

"History."

"Perfect," Damon smiles. "You will assign a history project and tell the students that they need to do research at the Mystic Falls library. The project is due in two days. They better get started soon."

"That's not a lot of time."

In slight annoyance, Damon says, "That's the point. Now repeat what you're going to do."

"I'm going to assign my students a project—"

"Make sure Elena Gilbert is in the class."

"And I'm going to make sure Elena Gilbert is in the class. They have to do research at the Mystic Falls library, and it is due in two days." Confusion appears on Alaric's face. 'What's the project on?"

Damon leans closer, "I don't give a fuck. Just make sure they go to the library." For a second, it looks like Alaric is almost trying to fight against his compulsion, as if he is aware of what is happening to him. Damon narrows his eyes. "I don't really like you, Alaric," he says. "And I'm hungry." He catches Alaric's gaze and compels him as strongly as possible. "You will not remember any of this."

He grabs Alaric, and his fangs sink into his neck. He gulps down the sweet blood greedily, but he forces himself to stop after a minute. He needs Alaric alive and functioning tomorrow. "You might not be so lucky next time," Damon says, and then he disappears, leaving Alaric alone and bloody.

The next day, Damon heads to the Mystic Falls library right before high school is supposed to let out. He seats himself at a table in the back of the room, allowing him to see everyone who walks through the building. For the sake of his college-student character, he throws a bunch of books on his table and a notepad. He also has a thermos of coffee. He might as well make this look convincing. For a while, the library is extremely quiet, but eventually students start to trickle inside. All of Damon's body is on alert for Elena; the desire to see her again fills his mouth with distaste. He's in dangerous territory with the way he's responding to a girl he's never met.

The students whisper loudly as they spread out among the library. With his extra sensitive hearing, he can easily catch their conversations:

"This is so not okay. I thought Mr. Saltzman was a cool teacher."

"Seriously—two days to complete a research project? It's like he's possessed." Damon smirks at the truth of that statement.

"I've never even been to the library."

Eventually, Damon starts to filter out the boring conversations. He couldn't give a damn about these other students: he just wants Elena. The library door opens again, and Damon's attention snaps to the girl walking in. It's her. His gaze slowly combs over her body—long, slim legs, a tiny waist, just the right amount of curves. Everything about her is as appealing as Katherine. The resemblance is unsettling and dangerously seductive. Elena has a girl next to her, and Damon's eyes narrow in apprehension. The dark-skinned girl also looks and even _feels _entirely too familiar. Although she is definitely not another doppelganger, she looks very similar to Emily Bennet, a witch from 1864 that was very close friends with Katherine.

Both of the girls walk towards the back of the library, and at the same time, they both look at Damon. Thankfully, his reactions are fast enough that when they look towards him, he appears to be bent over his books in deep thought. Out of the corners of his eyes, he watches the girls watch him. A small smile graces his face. It's very easy to lure people in when he is graced with such good looks. With more pleasure, Damon watches them sit down at a table right across from his. He listens as they whisper in low tones:

"I saw him at The Grill yesterday," Elena says. "He was just standing there, staring at me."

"Have you ever seen him before?" The must-be witch responds.

"No." Elena pauses. "Have you?"

"No. He must be new here."

"He's really...attractive," Elena says.

"I don't know, Elena. Something seems wrong about him. I wouldn't talk to him."

"Something seems wrong? How can you tell?"

"It's just a feeling. You know how I get _feelings._"

Elena sighs. "Maybe you're right, Bonnie."

Damon is frustrated. He already hates this new, little Bennet witch. She's making things a lot more difficult for him. He'll have to get a little more aggressive. He waits a few minutes, and eventually Bonnie and Elena stand up and disperse throughout the library, looking for books. Damon stands up and follows Elena. He smiles when he finds her in a back corner, secluded from everyone else.

He walks towards where she is standing, deeply concentrated on book titles. He stands right besides her and pretends to also look at books. For a moment, she doesn't notice him. But when she looks to the side, she's so startled that she drops one of the books in her hands. Damon quickly picks the book up and hands it to her, his most charming smile gracing his face. Their hands brush against each other as she takes the book, and Damon can hear her pulse increasing.

Elena looks at him, a combination of attraction and mistrust clouding her face. "Thank you," she says softly.

Damon smiles and holds out his hand. "I'm Damon Salvatore."

**A/N ****– So you'll get there main first interaction next chapter How do you guys like the story so far? Do you like the idea of Damon getting there first? Do you think Stefan is too gullible? Please R&R! **


	3. Obstacles

**A/N – ****Wow! Thanks for the great feedback everyone. I hope you enjoy this next chapter! R&R!**

Elena looks at him, a combination of attraction and mistrust clouding her face. "Thank you," she says softly.

Damon smiles and holds out his hand. "I'm Damon Salvatore."

Hesitantly, she reaches out to shake his hand. The warmth of the contact reignites Damon's desire and interest. "I'm Elena Gilbert."

Damon continues to hold her hand for just a few seconds too long; he can already sense her reaction to him—he can see the curiosity and the interest rushing through her. He lowers his voice and leans a bit closer towards Elena. "It's very nice to meet you, Elena." She fidgets under her his intense gaze, unable to think of anything to say yet unable to walk away. "I'm new to town," Damon continues. "I just started at the local college." Elena is still silent, and Damon inwardly groans in frustration. He can tell that Bonnie has already gotten underneath her skin, made her hesitant. His eyes glance at the book in Elena's hands, but he cannot see the title. "What's the book on?"

Elena snaps out of her strange silence, a light blush appearing on her face. She glances towards the book. "It's for a research project that my teacher just assigned," she says. Good boy Alaric, Damon thinks. "I've never really used this library before. I guess I'm having trouble finding the right things."

Damon gives one of his charming smiles. "If I may?" He asks, gesturing for the book. Elena hands it to him. "Maybe, I can help. I'm pretty good with libraries. What's the project on?"

"Vampires."

Damon's face pales. "Say what?"

Elena smiles softly with embarrassment. "I know it sounds silly, but my new teacher, Mr. Saltzman, gave us two days to research something about the history of vampire rumors in Mystic Falls."

Fucking Alaric Saltzman, Damon thinks. He could _tell _something was suspicious with that guy, and he just ignored it anyways in hopes of getting to Elena as soon as possible. Alaric must not be as in the dark as most of the idiots in Mystic Falls. Damon tries to cover his shocked reaction. "Just a little silly," he says, smiling. "But please, let me help you."

"I don't know," Elena says. She bites her lip, and instantly, Damon is drawn to her red mouth. He wants to lean down and press his lips to hers. He wants to push her against the shelves of the library until she melts under his desires. Elena notices Damon's intense gaze, and her pulse quickens, her entire body blushing. She looks down for a moment.

Damon recovers himself and tries to be as persuasive as possible. "Please, it would be my pleasure. It sounds like a _very _interesting topic anyways. I wouldn't mind finding out about it myself." Elena looks up, and Damon can see her resolve floating away. "Come on," he says. "Let's check the archives."

There's still hesitancy in her voice, but Elena says, "All right. Thank you."

Damon leads Elena to a computer in the corner of the library. There are two seats, and they sit down next to each other. Her warm body heat infiltrates Damon's senses. He's overly aware of everything she does. Get in control of yourself, he thinks, this is just a girl. "So," Damon says casually, cracking his fingers before resting them on the keyboard. "Vampires? Let's see what we can find." The irony of the situation does not escape Damon, but if Elena has a project on vampires, and if he wants to spend time with Elena, his options are pretty limited. He types "vampires mystic falls" into the library search engine, and Elena and he lean closer as the results start to download.

"Wow," Elena breathes. "That's a lot of results."

"It's an old town," Damon replies. He scrolls through the results, making sure nothing he sees leads back to his family name.

"What about that one?" Elena asks.

Damon is on edge. The article is titled _The True Nature of Katherine Pierce_. He's tempted to click on it, to see for himself what it has to say, but he knows the less Elena is aware of Katherine, the better. "Let's try something else," he says. "I think that's about the famous whore Katherine Pierce—a 19th century prostitute tricking people into thinking she was a lady of class." Damon smiles at his almost accurate description of Katherine.

Elena sounds suspicious. "You seem to know a lot about Mystic Falls for just moving here."

"I'm a history major," Damon responds. "I know a lot about a lot of things."

"Arrogant much?" Elena asks. Damon cannot temper his arrogance, even while trying to endear Elena.

Damon smirks. "Just confident." He looks at Elena and realizes he might have to kick things up a notch. Although he knows she's at least physically attracted to him, he's probably not winning her over with his charming personality yet. "Let's keep looking," he says.

"I think I know how to use the search myself now," Elena says. "Thank you for your help." Damon knows that means _you can go away now_. He's a little confused. Usually he's better with women, but obviously, Elena is not the average girl. He might have to result to compulsion soon. Is it so bad that he just wants to spend time with her, to know her?

Elena gives Damon a hard stare, and he knows his time for now is up. He'll have to try another tactic. But, he wants to leave a lasting impact for today. "Of course," he responds. His eyes catch hers, and he hopes she can feel the passion he's exerting. "It was very nice to meet you." He leans forward, and he can hear Elena stilling her breath. Thankfully, she does not flinch or move away. His mouth grazes the side of her cheek and he plants a soft kiss against the warm skin. He hears her heartbeat rapidly increasing, and he smiles at his effect. "I'll see you around, Elena," he whispers before quickly standing up and leaving her alone and in shock.

Later that evening, Damon paces around his room in frustration. He has a glass of bourbon in one hand and a blood bag in the other. Elena has taken over all of his thoughts, and he cannot even pinpoint what is so alluring about her. Obviously, she's incredibly attractive, but there's something else there that causes Damon's nerves to knot uncomfortably. He's incredibly annoyed that his plan earlier today didn't work. Usually, when he turns on the charms, women melt for him, but Elena barely budged.

The physical chemistry is obvious. He knows she's attracted to him, but that might not be enough to get inside of her head. The temptation to compel her into submission is growing stronger—but where would that lead? What does he even want from her? Damon knows he has a more immediate problem to deal with tonight anyways: Alaric Saltzman. Maybe he can put Elena out of his mind for just a few hours while dealing with the history teacher with a bit too in depth of an education.

Damon grabs his keys and heads back out of his house. Hopefully Alaric will be working late again. He drives over to Mystic Falls high school and parks his car in the almost deserted parking lot. The doors to the building are locked, but Damon slips a paper clip out of his pocket and quickly jimmies open the door. He smiles in satisfaction as he quietly steps inside of the building.

Alaric's classroom is easy to find, and there are dim lights on inside. Damon softly walks into the room, and Alaric looks up in surprise. There is no recognition on his face, and Damon is relieved that his compulsion worked. "Who are you?" Alaric asks.

"I'd rather not do the meet and greet again," Damon says. "You've become a problem _very _quickly, and I like to get rid of my problems."

Alaric's eyebrows knit in confusion. "What do you want? What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb," Damon says. "I know you _know_."

"Know what?" For a second, Damon almost believes Alaric. He seems clueless—but there's no way he'd assign a paper on vampires if he knew nothing. The coincidence would just be too much.

"Just shut up," Damon says. "You know, I'm not even very hungry tonight, but I think I'm going to enjoy this anyways." In a flash, Damon is before Alaric, and he yanks him up from his chair. He bends Alaric's head back and his fangs sink into the skin. The second the blood touches his lips, Damon starts to gag and spasm. His entire body is in pain, on fire. He falls to the floor and slowly backs away, trying to gain control of the tortuous feelings overwhelming him. An insane smile crosses his face, "Ver-" he coughs. "Vervain, you fucking asshole."

Alaric is now standing above Damon, a gun pointed straight at the vampire's heart. His face is hard and serious, despite the blood trickling out of his neck. "After last night, I realized I should probably prepare myself better. Carrying some Vervain around in my wallet might have helped me escape compulsion, but it didn't stop you from attacking me." He pauses. "And by the way, these aren't metal bullets."

"No, of course they aren't. So you faked your compulsion? Nice one." Damon tries to think quickly. He needs to get out of this situation fast—he's in dangerous territory with the Vervain weakening his system. "Are you going to kill me?" He asks, stalling for time.

"You're already dead," Alaric says. "But no, I don't think so."

Damon grabs to edge of the desk and slowly pulls himself up to his feet. The gun is still pointed at his heart, but Alaric doesn't make another move. "Why not?" Damon asks.

"I have questions."

"What makes you think I'll answer them?"

"Because I'll kill you if I don't."

"Fair enough." Damon takes a slow breath. Already, the Vervain's impact is disappearing; thankfully there wasn't enough in Alaric's system to completely destroy him. In about another minute, he'll have just enough energy to...

"If you answer my questions, I'll let you go."

"Fire away," Damon says. But, as Alaric opens his mouth to say something, Damon rushes forward and snaps the teacher's neck. Alaric falls dead to the floor. Damon smiles. "That was exciting," he says to himself. He considers disposing the body, but decides he'll let the students get a little surprise in the morning. Damon almost feels guilty about killing Alaric—he seemed like a pretty interesting guy, at least for a human. His eyes graze over the dead body, a glinting and ugly ring catches his attention. It looks vaguely familiar. Damon shrugs his shoulders and leaves the room, his mission seemingly accomplished.

He only has one more thing left on his to-do list. Getting to Elena is definitely more difficult than he thought it would be. Damon drives over to The Grill and parks his car in the very corner of the lot. He turns off his ignition and strains his ears. Slowly, conversations from inside start to filter though. He smiles when he recognizes the right voices:

"Grans wants to speak to me tonight. I actually should probably leave and head over there. She has something important to tell me," Bonnie says.

"All right, want me to walk you out?" Elena's sweet voice somehow sounds louder than anyone else's, as if Damon's ears are attuned to her.

"No, don't worry about it. I'll see you tomorrow."

Damon smiles at his more than perfect timing. He gets out of his car and watches as Bonnie exits The Grill. He softly walks up behind her, following her to her car. Suddenly, she stops, but she does not turn around. "What do you want, Damon?"

Damon smirks. "I don't think I've formally introduced myself."

Bonnie turns around. Her eyes are hard. "I don't know what you are, but I know you aren't good news. What do you want with me? With Elena?"

Damon is slightly confused. It sounds like Bonnie isn't completely in tune with her witchy powers yet. It should make things hopefully a lot easier for him. "Aren't you being a little judgmental?" He asks. "You've never even met me."

Bonnie's eyes narrow. "I can sense evil, and you reek of it."

Damon laughs. "Sense evil?" He crosses his arms and smiles. "Evil college student lurking around town?"

"Preying on high school students? And I'm not so sure you're even in college." She walks towards Damon, challenging him. "Stay away from Elena."

Damon wants to laugh at her ridiculous attempt at intimidation. He could crush her between his fingers. He widens his eyes to compel Bonnie. "You're going to go back inside and tell Elena that you've changed your mind. You met me, and you think I am wonderful and charming."

Bonnie raises her eyebrows. "No."

"Huh," Damon says. "Twice in two days."

"Twice in two days what?"

Compulsion is usually Damon's go-to, but apparently Mystic Falls contains some more challenges than it did in 1864. People seem to be a little smarter and a little more talented. Damon realizes if compulsion doesn't work, he'll have to try another tactic. "Never mind," he says. "Look, I'm sorry if I've come off as abrupt or creepy or anything. I'm just new to this town, and Elena is the first person I've met. She was really nice, and I'd like to get to know her better. I was hoping you could put in a good word for me."

Bonnie still looks extremely suspicious, but she seems to have been at least a little persuaded. "I have to go," she says. She rubs her head and sighs deeply. "I'll tell you what, I'll give you Elena's number and leave her to make her own decisions." She leans closer towards Damon. "But just know I have my eyes on you, Damon."

He smiles as she quickly scribbles Elena's number on a scrap of paper. "Thank you, Bonnie," he says. "Have a wonderful night." She eyes him with wariness before turning around and getting into her car.

Damon stares at the piece of paper in his hand. He knows women haven't changed much over the past century. The same methods still work: win the best friend over, win the girl. He smiles. Elena will be his.

**A/N ****– So, what do you guys think? This will mainly be a romance fic, but I definitely want to give the story some plot. What do you think about the Alaric scene? Do you think Elena was too harsh with Damon? Please R&R :) **


	4. One Chance

Damon knows Elena is still inside of The Grill, but he decides to take a subtler course. He heads to his car and starts to drive home. On the way, he flips open his cell phone and quickly types in the number on the scrap of paper. After a few rings, a voice answers, "Hello?"

Just the sound of Elena's voice sets Damon on edge—what is this strange effect she seems to have on him? "Go to dinner with me on Friday night," Damon says.

There's a pause, and Damon can hear Elena's low breathing over the silent line. "Damon?"

He smiles, glad to know she already recognizes his voice. Despite whatever guard she put up earlier today at the library, he's already gotten a little bit under her skin. "Yes. Dinner tomorrow at 7. What's your address? I'll pick you up." Damon knows Elena is different than other woman, but hopefully she'll respond to aggressiveness just as well as the rest of them. No matter what women say, they want a man who knows how to take control.

Of course, Elena diverts the dinner subject. "How did you get my number?"

"I ran into Bonnie. She gave it to me."

Elena's voice is full of suspicion. "_Bonnie _gave it to you? Really?"

"She thought you'd like to hear from me." That's definitely stretching the truth some, but Damon needs all the help he can get.

"Really?" Elena repeats.

"Really." Damon quickly changes the subject back to his main objective. "So, what's your address?"

"I didn't say I'd go out with you. I don't _know _you Damon."

Damon smiles. "That, Elena, is why people go on dates: to get to know each other."

"I don't know," Elena says, but Damon can hear her rebuff quickly melting away.

"We'll have a great time," Damon says. "And if we for some reason don't, I promise that I will never bother you again."

Damon's nerves twists uncomfortably as he waits for a response. This is by far the most difficult woman he has ever gone after. Usually, women take one look at his piercing blue eyes and toned body, and they throw themselves at him. Elena is obviously not the average woman. Finally, she sighs and responds, "All right, one date."

Some of the tension in Damon's body releases. "Great," he says as he turns the corner to his street. "Just text me your address, and I'll see you tomorrow night." Elena doesn't respond, and the line clicks off. Damon closes his phone in satisfaction—he's one step closer to solving the allure of Elena Gilbert.

As Damon pulls into the driveway, he notices Stefan's car parked there. "Fuck," he mutters under his breath. Damon hoped his plan would lure Stefan away for at least a couple of days. He'll have to be very careful in the next twenty-four hour to make sure he doesn't raise any suspicion.

Damon gets out of his car and walks into the mansion, whistling as he enters the front door. After just a few steps, Stefan is right in front of him, anger burning through his eyes. "Dramatic entrance," Damon says. "What's up?"

Stefan's eyes narrow. "So I went to visit Lexi."

"Was it a nice funeral?" Damon asks. He tries to move around Stefan to walk forward, but Stefan blocks him off.

"There was no werewolf bite. She was perfectly fine and had no idea what I was talking about."

Damon shrugs his shoulders. "It must have been a prank call."

"I know you better than that," Stefan says. "You were trying to get rid of me." He closes the small distance left between Damon and himself. "But the question is, why were you trying to get rid of me?"

"You were cramping my style," Damon says. "Too much doom and gloom, not enough fun. How am I supposed to feed with that judgmental look in your eyes?"

"You're lying."

"You're insane."

The two brothers stare at each other, but finally Stefan gives in and steps aside. "I'm going to figure out what you've been up to," Stefan says as Damon recedes towards the back of the house. "Damon Salvatore is not infallible."

Damon waves his brother off and heads into his bedroom. He grabs his bottle of bourbon and takes a long swig. If he's lucky, he'll have about one more day until Stefan realizes he's been tracking down Elena. If the date doesn't go well tomorrow night, Damon might have to change to more drastic measures. He takes another sip, letting the alcohol filter though his aggravated system. All this pressure just for some girl he barely knows—whatever ends up happening between the two of them better be worth the hassle.

The next day, Damon follows Stefan like a shadow. He wants to make sure his brother doesn't intend to hurry his plans and meet Elena. Thankfully, Stefan stays locked in his room for most of the afternoon, only leaving once to go hunt for animals in the forest surrounding their house. Soon, it is six-thirty, and Damon begins to get dressed for his date. He can't remember the last time he went on an actual date: usually his relationships involve a couple drinks (alcohol or blood depending on the woman) and sex. Unfortunately, that path is definitely not an option with the stubborn Elena.

Damon puts on a black-collared shirt that he knows contrasts his brilliant eyes and a pair of tight-fitting, dark wash jeans. He messes with his hair for a few moments until it settles the right way. The mirror shows his reflection, and Damon smiles at his appearance, knowing there is only a slight chance Elena will be able to resist him again. He grabs his keys and heads out of his room, only to run into Stefan.

His brother raises his eyebrows. "Where are you going?"

"Out," Damon responds as he continues to walk towards the front door.

"Where? Can I come?"

Shit, Stefan is definitely suspicious of something. Damon turns around and raises an eyebrow. "Of course you can," he says. "I would love to feed with my brother. I'm thinking about starting at that strip club right off of Wyndham Road. You know, the one with the girls who just turned eighteen and have some serious daddy issues. What do you think? We can try somewhere a bit classier if that's what you're in the mood for."

Stefan can probably see through this lie, but his passive nature makes him resign the attack for tonight. "I think I'll stay at home," Stefan says. "Have fun."

Damon smirks. He almost feels bad, but it isn't his fault his brother is so easy to toy with. "Good night." He heads to his car and heads to Elena's house.

He parks his car and walks up to the porch. His nerves start to reemerge, and he mentally chastises himself, forcing his emotions to calm down. He rings the doorbell, and a moment later, a teenage boy answers.

"Can I help you?" He asks after opening the door.

Damon reaches out his hand for the guy to shake. "Damon Salvatore. I'm here for Elena."

"Jeremy." He shakes Damon's hand. "I'll get Elena for you. You want to come wait inside?"

Damon smiles. "That would be wonderful." He steps inside of the foyer and waits as Jeremy heads upstairs to get Elena. After about a minute, Elena begins to descend the steps, and Damon cannot do anything but stare. Her slim, smooth legs are on full display in a short black skirt, and the red top clings softly to her skin, exposing just enough of her curves. Desire flows through Damon; he wants this girl, and he knows he will do just about anything to fulfill that urge. Her doe eyes flash to meet his, and surprising intensity surges between the two of them. Finally, Damon says in a low voice, "You look very nice."

"So do you," Elena responds, her heavy gaze appraising his body. Damon takes her hand to his mouth and kisses the warm skin. He sees her blush and feels her pulse increasing, and he's tempted to push away the hand and start kissing other things on her body.

He resists the urge—for now. "Ready to go?" He asks.

"Sure," Elena responds. They head out to the car. Damon is relieved to see that some of the aggression has seeped out of her (maybe she talked to Bonnie), but Elena definitely still has a bit of a guard up.

Small, forced conversation fills the car as they drive to The Grill. Damon is too distracted by the appeal of her exposed skin, and the thud of the blood rushing through her veins. Her quick, darting glances towards him tells him that the attraction isn't one sided. When he pulls up to The Grill, he quickly rounds the car to open her door. Elena smiles softly as she gets out: "Thank you."

"Of course," Damon responds. He follows directly behind her into the restaurant. Since it's a Friday night, the place is fairly busy. They spy a table that just emptied and quickly head towards it. All the waitresses appear extremely busy, and Damon says, "I'm going to get us drinks up at the bar. What would you like?"

"Just a coke, please," Elena says, reminding Damon that not only is she human, but she is not even twenty-one.

He smiles and says, "I'll be right back." Damon can feel Elena's eyes on him as he heads to the bar. He rubs his hands together and sighs deeply. She agreed to go out with him, so he needs to make this date count—hopefully, if all goes well, it will end in complete satisfaction. He hopes some intense sex will get Elena out from under his skin, but of course, he doubts that will happen.

Damon sits at the only spare seat at the bar. He motions to the bartender and orders a coke and a whiskey. Damon drums his fingers on the counter as he waits for the drinks, anxious to get back to Elena, but suddenly, he notices the man next to him is staring.

Damon turns around and meets the man's gaze. Damon is rarely surprised by anything, but right now, he can hardly get a single word out:

"Alaric."

The man smiles. "Evening, Damon."

**A/N ****– Sorry to leave it there, but the next chapter will be the rest of the date and of course some Alaric/Damon interaction. What do you guys think so far? Some of you said Elena is being a bit harsh—but she was just taking her best friend's advice. Do you think this chapter is a little more realistic? Please R&R!**


	5. Surprises

The man smiles. "Evening, Damon." Alaric continues to stare at Damon, an arrogant smirk across his face. "Surprised to see me?"

"I killed you," Damon says. He scratches his head. "I definitely killed you."

Alaric shrugs his shoulders. "I'm still here."

Damon looks around the bar. He glances at Elena for a moment, and her dark brown eyes are pinned on him. He doesn't have time for this. "Well, Alaric," Damon says, grasping a hand on the teacher's shoulder. "That was a very nice magic trick, and I'd love to talk about it later, but I'm on a very important date right now."

He grabs the coke and whiskey and stands up, but Alaric won't let him leave that easily. "A date with one of my students, I see."

"Very observant," Damon says with a bite of sarcasm. "Bye now."

"What do you want with her?"

"That's not exactly your business, Alaric, and even if you knew, there would be nothing you could do about it." He leans close and whispers. "You might be able to come back from the dead, but just remember, I'm a vampire who can tear apart your entire family and rip your students to shreds if I feel like it. Don't try to cross me again."

Alaric doesn't look very intimated. He nods and says, "Go back to your date Damon. We'll speak later."

Damon almost retorts with another threat, but he can still feel Elena's eyes staring him down. She might get impatient if he takes much longer. With a final glare towards Alaric, Damon heads back to the table. "Sorry that took so long," he says as he places the drinks down. His voice comes across harsh, and he tries to quickly calm himself. Alaric's rebirth has him a bit off-balance; he definitely did not see that coming. Alaric is not in any way a vampire, but he obviously has some sort of power on his side.

Elena looks at Damon. "What were you talking to Mr. Saltzman about?" She takes a tiny sip of her coke, and Damon is distracted by the way her pink lips wrap around the straw.

"History stuff. He was helping me with my thesis," Damon quickly lies. "He seems to be a very knowledgeable guy." _About all of the wrong things_, Damon thinks to himself.

"What year of college are you in?" Elena asks, her eyes falling on the glass of whiskey in Damon's hands.

Damon smirks, tempted to say he finished college in 1887 and then again in 1902 and again in 1960. "I'm a junior."

"Big age difference," Elena responds. Her small hands wrap around her glass of coke.

If only she knew how big the age difference really is. "Age is just a number, and besides, you seem very mature."

Elena softly smiles. "I had to grow up fast."

"Why?" Damon leans forward slightly, intent on finally getting under Elena's surface.

Sadness flickers within her eyes, and he watches as she tries to keep up her guarded face. "My parents—they passed away a few months ago in a car accident."

Damon has not only witnessed, but also has caused a lot of deaths throughout his long life. But his normally callous attitude towards the subject is thrown off when he sees and hears Elena's pain. He wants to reach out and comfort this strange woman. "I'm sorry," he says. "I lost my parents also." _About a century and a half ago_. Damon reaches for Elena's hand that is resting on the table. He covers it with his own, and is relieved when she doesn't pull away. Her warm, soft skin overtakes Damon's other senses.

Elena looks at Damon with reappraising eyes. Maybe he is getting through to her. "Thank you," Elena says.

She's about to say something else when a waitress finally comes to the table. "What can I get you guys?" Although Damon doesn't need human food to survive, his body can still digest it. They both order hamburgers and shakes. Damon once again skims over Elena's toned body; he wonders how her figure is so delectable when she obviously eats real food. Nothing aggravates Damon more than a woman who subsists on salads—their blood always tastes so—healthy.

"When did you move to Mystic Falls?" Elena asks.

Damon leans back in the booth. "I grew up here, but I recently moved back a couple of weeks ago."

"To go to the local college? Why Mystic Falls?"

"Let's just say, I wanted to dig into my history, and Mystic Falls is full of interesting things."

His eyes narrow in on Elena as he says this, and she blushes. "It's just a small town. There's really nothing interesting here."

"Oh, I don't know about that." Automatically, Damon thinks of Alaric and Bonnie. After just a day in Mystic Falls, he feels like he's back in 1864. "Strange things definitely happen here."

Elena raises her eyebrows. "Really? Like what?" Their food arrives, and Elena takes a bite of her hamburger while Damon answers.

He chooses his words carefully. If things go well, he eventually wants to reveal himself to Elena. It might be best to slowly accustom her the idea. "There are a lot of stories. Take your history project for example."

Elena covers her food-filled mouth so she can speak, and Damon smiles at the action. "Vampires? You don't actually believe that stuff, do you?"

"I don't know," Damon shrugs his shoulders. "There's a lot of people and books that do believe in that stuff."

After swallowing, Elena nods and says, "Bonnie believes in everything supernatural." She pauses and then whispers. "She thinks she has powers, you know, like a witch." Damon smirks in amusement. "Shit, I shouldn't have said that. I don't know why I said that." Her eyes look panicked, and she grabs Damon's hand and squeezes it. He's thrown off by her initiated contact. "Please don't repeat that. Bonnie doesn't want anyone to know...not that she's actually a witch or anything. She just _knows _stuff sometimes." Elena eyes widen, and she tries to laugh it off. "You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

Damon smiles, entertained by her sudden outburst. "Not at all. Mystic Falls used to be the home of some Salem witches. Maybe Bonnie is what she says."

"You're just trying not to embarrass me," Elena says. "I know it's silly."

Elena's hand is still in his own, and he runs a thumb across the warm skin. "Just because something isn't familiar, just because you aren't sure of something, doesn't mean you should dismiss it." Intense feelings run through Damon when Elena's eyes meet his own. "Pursue everything that interests you."

"What if your interests also scare you?"

Damon isn't sure if Elena is referring to Bonnie or him. "Sometimes fear leads to satisfaction." He pauses. "Sometimes you need the excitement, the rush." Damon can feel Elena's pulse racing, and he knows he has her enticed, has her hooked.

They continue talking steadily throughout dinner. Elena tells Damon more about her parents and how she lives with her brother, Jeremy, and her aunt. Damon continues to weave lies about his college education, and as gullible as Stefan, Elena believes every word. As the night grows longer, the tension between the two of them starts to increase. Every time Elena looks at Damon or reaches for his hand, his eyes burn with desire. Usually, talking to a woman for this long grows deep aversion within Damon, but the more time he spends with Elena, the more he wants to be with her.

After paying the check, they both walk outside towards Damon's car. Conversation stills for a while on the drive home; unspoken tension replacing words. Damon walks Elena to her porch and stands with her under the dim, flickering light. She looks up at him and smiles. "I actually had a nice time," she says.

"Don't sound so surprised," Damon replies. "I told you I'm a nice guy."

"I'm still not so sure about nice, but you are definitely interesting." Her playful gaze pulls Damon closer.

"Does that mean I get to see you again?" He leans close, and Elena does not back away.

"Maybe. Yes." Elena looks up at Damon. He's about to lean down and finally kiss her, when for the second time tonight, something completely shocks him. She reaches up, pulls his neck down, and kisses _him_. For just a moment, Damon is stunned by her aggression, but quickly her warm lips bring him out of his daze. He pulls her tightly against his chest and kisses her back, reveling in the feeling of her rapid heartbeats and soft body. Desire rushes through him. He hasn't reacted this way to someone for a very long time. Her hands thread through his hair, bringing his head closer, and Damon groans in approval. His mouth attacks her lips, her neck, leaving a trailer of burning kisses.

Finally, Elena pulls away. Her heavy breathing and dilated eyes have Damon reaching for her again, but she resists. "I should go inside," she says, her voice low. She bites her warm lips and wraps her arms around herself. Her eyes flicker over Damon's body with surprising passion. "Yeah, I should definitely go inside."

Damon is about to protest, to pull her right back into his arms, but the sound of branch cracking in the woods by her house diverts his attention. Someone is out there, probably waiting for him. He stares at Elena and says, "I'll call you tomorrow." His voice drops, and he leans to whisper in her ear. "I had a very nice time, tonight." Elena nods and quickly slips inside her house. Damon stares after her with hunger in her eyes.

Finally, he steps off of the porch and walks towards his car. A figure emerges from the shadows. Finally, Damon is not shocked. The figure leans against Damon's car and stares straight at him.

Damon smirks as he walks closer. "What a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here, Stefan?"

Suddenly, Stefan launches forward and knocks Damon to the ground, his fangs extended and a stake pointed right at Damon's heart.

**A/N ****Lots of Delena in this chapter. Did you guys like it? How do you think Damon is? Too sweet, too evil, or just right?**


	6. Even Worse

Damon stares at the wooden stake hovering over his heart. Too much has been thrown at him in one night: Alaric's rebirth, Elena's warm body, and now imminent death by his brother. He takes a slow breath and chooses his words carefully. "Stefan. Please put the stake down."

Stefan's dark brown eyes are filled with hate and determination. "No." He slightly adjusts his body so that Damon is completely entrapped beneath him on the dirt ground.

Damon narrows his eyes. Time to try for another tactic. "You aren't going to kill your only brother. Eternity is a long time to spend alone." Stefan just grips the stake more tightly, so Damon continues. "This is just an overreaction. Remember that time fifty years ago in New Hampshire when I _accidently _had sex with your girlfriend, and you got all mad and tried to snap my neck. Don't you regret that? Aren't you glad you let me live?"

Stefan raises his eyebrows. "You mean you accidently had sex with my girlfriend on three separate occasions?"

"Details," Damon mutters.

"I should have killed you then. The last half century would have been a lot more peaceful without you."

"That's just mean and hurtful," Damon says with mock sincerity. "We're blood. You can't kill me. Especially since you're the reason we're vampires in the first place." A flicker of remorse passes over Stefan, and Damon realizes he's hit the spot. He continues, "If it weren't for you, I would have happily died in 1864. You bonded me to this eternity of dissatisfaction, and now you plan on murdering me? I don't think your hero boy conscious can handle that."

Slowly, Stefan moves the stake away from Damon, but he keeps him pinned to the ground. "That was a mistake I made a very long time ago," Stefan says.

"But its impact is lasting."

"I know," Stefan says. He stands up. "I can see that."

Damon gets up and brushes the dirt off of his jeans and leather jacket. He looks at Elena's house and sees that most of the lights are still on. Hopefully she hasn't been looking out of her window; it might mess up a previously fantastic first date. Damon nods towards the house and says, "We should probably get out of here."

"We can talk at home," Stefan replies.

"Talk? About what?"

"Just because I've decided not to stake you tonight doesn't mean there's not plenty for us to talk about."

Damon grimaces. "I think I'd rather be murdered than have this conversation."

"That can be arranged."

The two brothers head back towards their mansion. As soon as they are inside, Damon heads towards his bedroom. He needs a drink and fast. Stefan, of course, follows right behind him. "Want one?" Damon asks as he pours bourbon into a tumbler.

"Yes."

Damon raises his eyebrows. "Seriously?" Stefan never drinks human blood, and he almost never drinks alcohol.

"I think I need the liquor buffer for this conversation." Obligingly, Damon pours Stefan a large glass of bourbon and hands it over. He watches his brother down the contents in one great gulp.

"Want more?"

"Maybe later." Stefan places the glass on Damon's dresser and crosses his arms. "So, you read my diaries."

Damon shrugs. "I might have had a quick glance."

"Is this why you tried to get me out of town? So that you could have her to yourself? Corrupt her? Take advantage?"

"Mostly."

"She's not some toy, Damon. You can't chew her up and throw her away when you get bored."

Damon narrows his eyes and walks towards her brother. "Stefan, you do not own Elena. I can do whatever I want, as I have done so far." He swishes around the bourbon in his glass before taking a sip. "Besides, the only reason you're interested in her is because she looks like Katherine."

"I'll admit, that's what first drew me back to Mystic Falls, but the more I've watched her, the more I've realized she's the exact opposite of Katherine." Stefan walks towards Damon. "The question is: what do you want with Elena?"

"I like her."

Stefan laughs. "Since when do you _like _people?"

"She's interesting. Not to mention, her best friend, Bonnie Bennet is apparently related to good ole Emily. I'm pretty sure she's a witch."

"Really?"

"Really." Damon finishes his drink and pours another one.

"What are you planning on doing with her?" Stefan asks.

"With Bonnie?"

"With Elena."

"I plan on doing whatever I want with her, and I would appreciate if you didn't undermine those plans."

Some of Stefan's earlier anger returns. "You can't do this Damon. I found her. I tracked her down. You cannot just take her from me."

"Yes, I really can."

"You're going to destroy a wonderful woman. She would be happy with me. I know she would. I would be good for her, and you, you will just ruin her and leave the pieces for someone else to pick you. You will treat her like every other woman in your life: you will sleep with her, drink from her, and then throw her away."

Damon speeds forward so that he is standing right in front of Stefan. His sharp blue eyes stare his brother down. "Enough, Stefan. Do not claim that you deserve her. She doesn't even know you." He leans closer. "I have already met her, touched her warm body, been invited into her home, and you are nothing. She is mine, and she will never be yours." His voice drops. "Now get the fuck out of my room."

Stefan starts to leave the room, but he looks back one final time. "You aren't going to win this time, Damon. I'm not going anywhere." He slams the door shut behind him, and Damon stares after him, his eyes burning with intensity and anger.

The next morning, Damon wakes up with a plan. He knows Stefan is going to try and push his way into Elena's life, so Damon needs to make sure his position is strong before that happens. He glances at the time: it's just past nine. Quickly, he showers, shaves, and gets dressed in jeans and a casual black t-shirt that slightly hugs the muscles on his body. He rummages through the kitchen, packing a bag with food and drinks. Silently, he slips out of the house, making sure Stefan doesn't hear him leave.

A few minutes later, he pulls up to Elena's place. The house looks quiet and all of the cars are in the driveway. Damon flips open his cell phone and dials Elena's number. She doesn't answer until the last ring. "Hello? Damon?" She asks in a sleepy voice.

Hearing her over the phone, knowing that she is only feet away from him sends intense emotions running through Damon. Memories of her lips against his own invade his thoughts. He tries to make his voice sound as sweet as possible. "I'm sorry, Elena. Did I wake you up?"

"What time is it?" She grumbles. Damon smiles, amused by her morning personality.

"It's almost ten," Damon says. "Time to get up sleepyhead. I'm taking you to breakfast."

She groans over the line, but he can almost hear her smile. "Really?" She asks.

"Really. Actually, I'm sitting in your driveway right now, so if you could hurry it up, that would be great."

Elena gasps, and a moment later, Damon sees a window shade pushed aside. She peers out of her window and towards Damon's car, and he is reminded at how beautiful she is. He gives a wave, and she waves back. Over the phone, she says, "Okay. I'll be down soon."

Damon is relieved when he closes his phone. He knows last night went well, but if she didn't comply this morning, Stefan would become a serious problem. He needs to establish Elena as his own and quickly. A few minutes later, Elena exits her house. Damon's eyes skim over the bare skin her shorts are exposing, and his body flushes with desire. Her doe eyes meet his as she gets in the car, and without planning to, he leans over and kisses her. Their lips meet briefly, politely, but Damon still feels electricity running between them. This girl is danger.

Elena pulls away and smiles shyly. "Good morning," she says.

"Good morning." Once again, his eyes roam her body unconsciously, and she blushes under his intense stare. "Sorry to surprise you like this," he said. "I just really didn't want to wait the proper three days to call you."

"That's all right," Elena says, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's kind of romantic."

_Not romantic, strategic_, Damon corrects silently. The faster Elena falls for him, the less of a chance Stefan will have of intervening. Damon Salvatore is not romantic. He doesn't need to be when he was graced with such good looks. Still, he smiles back at Elena and says, "I'm glad you're happy. And I hope you're hungry."

He drives down the streets of Mystic Falls and pulls into a small, local park. Elena looks around in confusion. "We're eating here?"

Damon pulls the bag of food and a blanket from the back of the car. "I came prepared."

"Seriously? A picnic?"

"What? What's wrong?" Damon asks, suddenly panicked. Should they have gone to a restaurant? Do people not do picnics anymore? Over his many decades, he sometimes struggles to keep up with the modern norms.

"Nothings wrong," Elena says. "I'm just surprised. This is really sweet of you." She gets out of the car and walks towards the grassy area. Damon narrows his eyes as he watches her. _Sweet? Him sweet? _Maybe he is better at playing this role than he thought.

He follows Elena and lays out the large blanket. They settle down, cross-legged, and face each other. Without waiting, Elena delves into the bag. "What'd you bring?"

Damon smiles. He loves that this woman enjoys food, maybe almost as much as he enjoys blood. "Bagels, muffins, some juice," Damon says.

"Yum." Elena starts to pull food out, and very soon, they are both settled and eating. She looks up at Damon, the early morning sun reflecting on her soft eyes. "I'm really enjoying myself," she says sincerely. "I think I need this."

Damon smirks. "Food?"

Playfully, Elena hits his arm and says, "Not food. Well, yes food also. But I just need _this_. Something comfortable and fun. It's been a rough start to the year."

Damon knows she's thinking of her dead parents, and he has the immediate desire to cheer her up. "I'm glad I can provide the relief for you."

They continue to talk and relax in the morning air. Elena tells Damon more about her friends at school. She describes more of Bonnie's strange "witch" powers, and she talks about her ex-boyfriend Matt whom she is still very close with. She talks about her worries of her brother Jeremy who is going through a really rough patch, and how it is strange and different to live with her Aunt Jenna. Damon barely speaks; he just listens, strangely drawn into Elena's life. He finds the words tumbling from her mouth interesting and engaging. He doesn't drone them out like he does with most women.

After Elena finishes telling a story about her childhood dog, she cracks open a bottle of cranberry juice and takes a long sip. When she removes the bottle, Damon's eyes are drawn to her stained-red lips. They look bloody and kissable. Impulse takes over and Damon leans over their food and presses his lips against Elena's with sudden passion. She gasps as his lips suddenly find hers, but she responds with equal desire. Her hands wrap through his hair and pull him closer. Damon groans; he needs to be nearer. With a fast sweep, he pushes away all of their food and presses Elena's body down against the blanket.

Her soft form moves beneath his, and she slides her hands down his back, exploring the toned muscles. Damon slips his tongue inside of her mouth and kisses her deeply. As her pulse increases, he becomes more feverish. His teeth nip lightly at her lips, and he starts to kiss his way down her neck, pushing aside the strap of her tank top so that he can brush his lips against her heated shoulder. She tilts her head back so that he has better access. Blood rushes through him. He wants her. He wants to bite her.

In an instant, he pushes away and springs to the other side of the blanket. He tries to take deep, calming breaths, but the sound of her fast heartbeat is still drumming in his ears. She sits up, her eyes darkened and staring at him with lust and confusion. "Is something wrong?" She asks. She bites her lip, and Damon is drawn to the red edges.

"No, sorry," Damon says.

"That got intense pretty fast," Elena says, blushing.

"Yeah," Damon says.

"We can slow things down."

"No." Damon tries to control his thoughts. "I mean, sorry. It's just been a long week. I'm sorry I reacted like that. Don't worry about it." He runs a hand through his ruffled hair, attempting to smooth it.

Elena stares at him strangely, but eventually she says, "All right." _She probably thinks she did something wrong_, Damon thinks. _Unfortunately, I can't tell her I pushed away because I was seconds away from draining her of all the warm blood rushing through her veins. _

"You ready to go?" Damon asks, and Elena nods. They drive home in strained silence, and Damon knows he needs to fix things before she leaves him. He walks her to her front door, and she's about to walk inside when Damon says, "Wait." Elena looks at him expectantly. "Can we just forget about earlier? It was a weird moment." He pauses. "I really like you Elena, and I hope I can see you again."

For a moment, Damon fears rejection, but then Elena smiles and says, "I really like you too Damon. Honestly, when I first met you, I thought I wouldn't, but I've had a good time with you."

"I hope I can see you again. When are you free?"

"I have some homework I need to get done, and I promised to spend Sunday with Bonnie. She wants to talk to me about something."

"Monday after school?"

"Sure," Elena says, her eyes softly shining. "I'd like that."

"Great, I'll call you." Damon leans forward and brushes a lingering kiss against her cheek, grazing just the side of her lips. His eyes stare right into hers. "Can't wait until Monday."

Without saying anything else, Elena smiles and slips into her house. Damon walks back to his car, slowly shaking his head. _Fuck._ What is it about this girl? If he doesn't cool it down soon, two very bad things might happen: he might suck her dry of blood, or even worse, he might fall for her.

**A/N ****– Long chapter! Well, my version of a long chapter :) What do you guys think? Glad Stefan is going to put up a fight? Happy about the Delena progression? Please R&R!**

**By the way, if any of you are fictionpress readers, please check out my original stories at /~dropsofjewpiter **


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